Anyone Thirsty?

With two days of battling the heat, humidity, and especially the wind, our USTA tennis team pulled out a win advancing us to the final play offs today. Ten teams narrowed down to two was sure to bring a nail biting experience!

As my partner and I drove to the courts today I couldn’t imagine a better day to play tennis. I had a good nights sleep, ate nutritious (well sort of) food, and was able to make it to church this morning nourishing my soul. The pastor specifically spoke about how Christ represents living water in our lives. When we drink of water to quench our thirst we will thirst again, but if we drink from the living water of having Christ in our lives, we will never spiritually thirst again. As I sat in church I thought how much water I have consumed over these last few days. We actually wheeled a cooler down on the court for ourselves to drink water during the matches. There was so much water it seemed as though we could stay out on the courts for weeks and not go thirsty.

Today was different. We had the same amount of water going into our final match (maybe more), yet little did we know we were in for a battle of the weekend. Anyone who plays tennis tends to sum up their opponents in the warm up. Who has the better serve, who has a weak back hand, etc? Today I underestimated our opponents and it cost us the match. We easily took the first few games and I was feeling mighty fine. Unfortunately the other team happened to be steadier then us and we found ourselves in a first set tie break and lost it. Needing to take the second set to have a chance to win we came out strong and took the second set 6-4. I would rather play a complete third set but the officials ruled to do third set tie breakers. We lost 10-8 in the third set tie break..

To non-tennis players many of these numbers don’t mean much but to us they mean a lot. The match was so close it could have gone either way at any point. Today it went in our opponents’ favor. Someone has to win and someone has to loose. I’m still not settled that the losers had to be us!!

After licking my wounds a bit I need to get back on the saddle and get myself ready for New Jersey Districts. I have the privilege of being on another team who won in their flight.

Surprisingly, today we drank all the water. We battled in the hot sun for over two hours. The icy cold drinks were gone, the ice had melted, and our hearts were heavy as we walked off the courts as the defeated team. I knew we lost to a weaker team and I also knew it would haunt me for days. That’s sports…winner takes it all and the looser must fall. I can eventually accept that but I’m thankful there are no losers amongst God’s children, only winners. Drinking from the material things of this world will not satisfy, leaving us thirstier with heavy hearts. Drinking from the spiritual living water of Jesus Christ, we will never thirst again, God promises us that.

“Jesus said unto her,” Whoever drinks of this waster will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” “ John 4:13-14

Blessings,

Debbie

Where's your security?

With summer in full swing it’s utterly chaotic but lots of fun. Before the first day of summer I had a schedule for the kids to include daily activities, chores, and reading yet striving to keep a balance of play time with each of them.

My heart especially desires to invest time and energy in Emeline and the changes that lie ahead for her. You know the “girl” thing. Changes to the body, drama with the peers, etc. Last fall a friend recommended a mother/daughter devotional study which Emeline and I are enjoying everyday together. Topics such as “A Pure Heart”. ‘Dangerous Company”, “Who’s right?”, “Friends Forever” are included as well as others.

All girls at times feel like they are misunderstood, don’t fit in, rejected, etc. As a mom I want to fix it, after all I’m older and wiser right? Older yes but wiser is an ongoing daily process. I often find myself telling her what to do and say when she hits a “blip” in her road of relationships. Instead of fixing the situation I’m realizing I need to help Emeline understand who she is in Christ, she is His daughter. Being secure in Jesus and His love is her ultimate hope in this world.

As I’m studying this issue with Emeline, I’m also realizing that I too need continual work in this area. Often feelings of inadequacies creep into my head about the wife, mother, daughter, and friend I am. Measuring my success against what the world dictates is a train wreck in the making. Knowing who I am in Christ gives me a fresh start each day as I open my Bible to read and spend time praying, inviting God to be a part of my mind, thought process, and heart creates a security that no one can take away.

“May He enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope His call holds for you.” Ephesians 1:18

Blessings,

Debbie

You Cruise You Loose!

Any swimmer can tell you what a millisecond is. It’s 1000th of a point. Who cares? They do!

Today was our annual swim team invitational fund raiser. With a team 300 strong of kids between the ages of five and eighteen the energy is high as the crocs and gators turn out to compete against their age groups as well as beat their lowest times.

As with any sport you have the kids that are just in it to have fun and the kids anxious to come in first and beat their time. I love the relaxed swimmers who are happy to finish as well as the feisty ones wanting to know their place and time as their hand (or head) hits the wall. With all three of my kids on the team Sam is the one putting no pressure on himself. When he races he’s pulling as hard as he can and is pleased to win the race, yet just as happy if his friend comes in ahead of him. Emeline and Zachary are more concerned with their times and placement. Events, heats, and lane placement…..it all matters!!

Emeline excels in the backstroke. With a first place in her heat for the freestyle she was confident for the same in the 50M backstroke. She had a strong start and made her turn in first, yet at the end the gal swimming right next to her pulled ahead and won the race by three milliseconds!

In the 2008 summer Olympics Michael Phelps won the gold for the 100M fly by 1/100th of a second. As one headline said “You cruise you loose”. The difference was so minute that it was invisible to the naked eye, it was only confirmed electronically. In that last 1/100th of a second, Cavic (the other swimmer) glided and Phelps stretched touching the wall first. Although Phelps did not think he would win the race, he didn’t give up.

Last week I played in a USTA tennis match with someone I not only hadn’t played with before, but I really didn’t know her as a person. Would she be nervous? Would our game styles compliment one another? The team is on a track for advancing to play-offs so our court mattered! Our first set didn’t go so well. My partner turned to me as we were down 4-1 and said “We have a bit of a climb ahead of us”. Giving up the first set put pressure on us to win the second. God and I had a talk in the beginning of the second set, I committed my all to Him playing one point at a time. Winning the second set 6-1 and then the third 6-2 was a great feeling. We played hard and didn’t give up, we came from behind and finished well.

In sports you can’t slack off, “If you cruise you’ll loose”. If our competitive edge can bring a drive and determination to sports, surely we can bring it to the areas of our life that are much more important—our marriages, our parenting, and our relationship with God. After all, “It is in Him that we live, move, and have our being.”

Blessings

Debbie

A Week Long Siesta

Spending the last week in a country where siestas are practically mandatory, I’ve become accustomed to and enjoyed one Big Siesta of a good time! Whether it was reconnecting with Steve, eating delicious foods, enjoying the beautiful Tuscany region, or just sitting drinking several cups of cappuccino (thanks to jet lag) watching interesting people, the time was relaxing and my heart was renewed and refreshed.

Of course no trip goes off without mishaps and stress, just being in a foreign country makes you feel like, well a foreigner. Without much knowledge of the language my communication became formal and deliberate. Leaving three children back in the states kept me in constant communication by e-mail with “on-line” parenting when necessary. Receiving funny updates kept me smiling yet I missed my guys and doll terribly (I don’t think the feeling was mutual).

The main reason I chose Italy, specifically Tuscany, was to experience a cooking class with Steve for his birthday. A reliable source directed me to the Sienna Art and Cooking school for our special event. I imagined a group of really fun people watching and learning from a chef how to make amazing Italian (Tuscan of course) food. After we observed the famous chef we would all eat wonderful food!

Upon arrival at the school we were introduced to the main chef and host of the evening. Since she could not speak English we had a student interpreter from Utah. This blonde haired blue eyed adorable gal did not fit my imagined setting, but she was cute and nice so I tolerated her “Utah-ian” accent as she struggled to interpret the famous chef.

Before I knew it I was cleaning and chopping 8 pounds of asparagus. Anyone who knows me well knows I NEVER do anything in water without my rubber gloves on! They don’t seem to use rubber gloves in Italy. Some guests were assigned more glamorous jobs like making the dessert. It was a chocolate tart with sugared pears fanned on the top, yummy! I did get a chance to cut and fan a pear (WOW!).

At last the time came for us all to eat our creations! The chef knew ahead of time it was Steve’s birthday. As it came time for us to eat dessert the lights went out and in marched the chef (grinning from ear to ear) with an assistant carrying the beautiful tart, lit candle and all. As we were singing happy birthday, I quickly reached for my camera to take a picture, and that fast the tart was on the floor. The assistant tripped and the tart flipped up in the air and “splatted” right before our eyes! Let me just say it was a good thing the chef didn’t have a butcher knife in her hand, she was devastated and hot! I wasn’t sure who I felt worse for, the chef, the assistant, or us! The assistant was sent home and the chef stormed out of the dining room. Once our shock subsided us students picked up the tart carefully and ate the part that didn’t touch the ground, the five second rule is universal! We all laughed hysterically yet at the same time felt bad for the mishap. We enjoyed our unusual cooking class together.

Being so far away has made me feel out of touch with my life as a mom yet very much engaged with the days in Italy with Steve. The birthday celebration is officially over. Now it’s time to kick back into life as I know it. The duties of wife, mom, disciplinarian, encourager, taxi driver, manager, friend, tennis partner, chef,…you know, all the different hats us gals wear on a daily basis. After all there’s no place like home.

Blessings,

Debbie

The Big Event

Sitting with a friend on the soccer field last fall I listened to her share the plans she had for her husband who wouldn’t turn forty for 1 ½ years. Talk about organized and a planner! When I told my friend that Steve is also turning forty but doesn’t want a party, she said, “Neither does my husband but I’m giving him one anyway.” I was already tentatively planning a trip for Steve and me to go to Italy. Of course that meant confiscating all of his frequent flier miles to go and a limited budget, but I had saved my pennies for years to do something special.

Nine months later, on May 30th I threw a surprise birthday party for Steve. When I originally spoke to the caterer I estimated between 45-50 guests. “Your numbers grew” replied the caterer when I gave the final count of 95! Family and friends flew in for the festivities that blessed Steve with life long memories. A few tears were shed as we featured a DVD created for Steve of his 40 years in the making. It began with the song “Beautiful boy” by John Lennon and also included songs such as “Butterfly kisses”, “We are family” and “Let’s get ready to rumble” to mention a few, concluding with the song “I am willing” by Steve’s favorite Christian song artist Jeremy Camp.

Secretly pulling off such a large event can be overwhelming. God knew in advance that I would need help and provided the perfect “staff” for me. Many friends flocked to my side in excitement with willing support. They all know how much I appreciate them and could not have pulled this off with out each and every one of them.

The last nine months have been busy and all consuming at times yet I enjoyed each moment of it. Spending many hours pulling pictures for the DVD reminded me of why I fell in love with Steve 13 years ago. He is a man with a special heart for God. He loves his family and seeks to become more like Christ each day.

As I dropped the last guest at the airport yesterday (my dear friend Bridget), I shed a few tears, wishing she would come back to live on the east coast. The week long partying was over. Wanting to sit and take it all in, I had to quickly gear up to pack three kids and myself for a week to scatter in different directions. They were going to various friends and my mom’s house, Steve and I packed for our trip to Italy.

So, here I am on the plane flying over the Atlantic praying it stays up in the air! All is well, just missing my kids. I’m looking forward to spending some much needed R & R time with my husband in a beautiful country with wonderful people, and amazing food!!

Blessings,

Debbie

Pass The Chips

How do these super moms do it? They have multiple children running in different directions with after school activities, managing to get a decent meal on the table in between piano lessons, soccer, lacrosse and most of them even look good!

During the school year my kids do not leave the home other then attending a small church on Wednesday nights. That one night of the week often leaves me feeling like I’ve been run over by a truck. Now with the warmer weather here and summer sports and camps gearing up we’re off and running every night! As if my kids don’t provide enough afternoon running for me Steve asked me to join a softball league…I don’t play softball! Really, I don’t! Seriously, the coach doesn’t know where to put me so he assigns me the catcher position. Since I can’t throw the ball very far I roll the ball back to the pitcher, who does that?

I’ve been trying to keep up with getting homework done, keeping the kids interested in school (a big task), feeding them a balanced diet just like any good mom would do…until tonight. I gave up.. I didn’t care that I had no idea what to have for dinner! As I loaded the boys in the car to go pick up Emeline from swim practice Zachary said “I’m hungry mommy, can I please have something to eat?” I went to the pantry, pulled out a big bucket of potato chips, jumped in the car, grabbed a handful for myself and passed the bucket around instructing everyone to share! Was it my preference? No, but for tonight, for this week, it will have to do.

Blessings,

Debbie

Shut It Down!

Injuries in our house occur frequently. Over eight years ago I had never stepped foot in a Children’s hospital nor did I know the location. Now, my car could make it to Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) on auto pilot I’m sure. Not only do we practically have our own orthopedic surgeon, I actually have the private line to the doctor’s nurse practitioner (Meg) who has become a sweet friend of mine. The parking attendants know us as well as the servers in McDonald’s. Often we hear, “Here comes the Summer family again!”

Boys and injuries are common yet don’t go well together. How on earth can you keep a six year old boy down? Zachary fell off his skateboard last fall and injured his ligaments. Damaged ligaments is never good news, a break is much better, it heals quicker. Sure enough after three weeks in a boot Zachary has continued to have problems with the ankle. Last week he could not put pressure on it due to a recent football injury.

“We need to shut it down,” was the doctor’s recommendation. Taking the ankle out of commission with a cast was the only hope to give it a rest. With a bright orange cast we left the hospital, activity was restricted.

As the mom, I’m not sure how to police this cast situation. I guess the responsible moms would make their child sit and do nothing, watch TV all day. We had one of the busiest weekends in a long time with lots of fun activities. The kids were signed up for a tennis tournament and Zachary begged me to play. I made him promise he would not run too much (yeah right mom!).

The efforts to “Shut it down” don’t seem to be working; Zachary has no problem running, jumping, and climbing with a cast on. It’s actually amazing to watch!

Sometimes I wish I could just shut down, go to sleep and rest for a few weeks. Life seems so busy no matter how hard I try to keep it at a manageable pace. I have multiple injuries yet I’m in the middle of USTA tennis, and to top it off I’m on a softball league..I don’t know how to play softball! Steve asked me to play with him, he doesn’t ask for much so I wanted to honor his request.

Although I would love to shut down physically, it is my spiritual being that will keep me going. My relationship with God and abiding in Him is all I really need. The physical aches and pains can be tolerated for now; my main concern is the health and well being of my spiritual relationship with Jesus. Some days it feels great, other days it feels like I’m falling apart. I am thankful for a sovereign God who loves and cares for me. He is faithful even when I’m not. When others see an inner strength in me, it is because in Him I live, move and have my being.

Sweet Dreams,

Debbie